Apparatus for filling containers under gas



Nov. 29, 1938.

w. M. RYAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS UNDER GAS Filed Sept.5, 1955 e Shee'Es-Sheet 1 v INVENTORS WILL MM ML ES IP41.

BY j6H/V P115040. %,Q 9 ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1938.

W. M, RYAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS UNDER GAS Filed Sept.5, 193 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS VV/Z L M MLEJ B A/v boa/o 57016405a/BH/V WfiOLD. %4 MTTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1938. w. M. RYAN ET AL 27,138,355

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS UNDER GAS Filed Sept. 5, 1935 6Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Mu/WMESf AM BY Q/(BH/V WEOLD.

Z? ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1938. w. M. RYAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR FILLINGCONTAINERS UNDER GAS Filed Sept. 5, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORSWLL/AM ML'ES RYAN BY LibHN W 501.0.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1938. w. M. RYAN ET AL 2,138,355

' APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS UNDER GAS Filed Sept. 5, 1935 6Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS MLL/AMMLEJFYAM BY c/oH/v W040.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1938. w. M, RYAN ET AL 2,138,355

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS UNDER GAS Filed Sept. 5, 1955 sSheets-Sheet 6 r .4 (Q M 7% 1 f0! 70.1 W w QINVENTORS MAL/AM ML 2.:RYAN.

(/EHN 5040.

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 29, 1938 2 UNITED STATES PATENT or ies APPARATUSFOR FILLING CONTAINERS UNDER GAS William Miles Ryan and John W. Bold,Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Ryan Coffee Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application September 5, 1935, Serial No.39,270

15 Claims. (01. 226-68) Our present invention relates to an apparatusgas under the pressure at which the material is for sealing containers,such as bottles and cans, to be sealed in the container. Communicationis under a selected gas, and more particularly under then opened to afilling chamber also filled with a selected gas at a selected orpredetermined presgas at the sealing pressure, whereupon the com- 5sure. munication between the two chambers is again 5 Our presentinvention is an improvement on the closed, the selected gas withdrawnfrom the enapparatus disclosed in our co-pending applicatrance chamberand replaced with air, where tions Ser. No. 655,733, filed February 8,1933; upon it may be opened to receive a succeeding Ser. No. 740,372,filed August 18, 1934, and Ser. group of containers.

No. 194, filed January 3, 1935. The apparatus for accomplishing this maybe of 10 In canning or bottling products, such as beer the type shown inour co-pending application Ser. and similar beverages, it is necessaryto charge No. 740,372.

the container with a selected gas, such as carbon In the filling chamberthe containers are filled dioxide, under superatmospheric pressure. Itis with a measured quantity of the product, such also very desirable toprevent the presence of even as beer or other beverages. 15 a smallamount of air in the container, as even a The material to be supplied tothe containers very small amount or trace of oxygen of the air is drawnas needed from a liquid storage tank to a aiiects the taste or qualityoi the product. Resupply reservoir in which there is always mainmoval ofatmospheric air from contact with tained a sum-cient quantity to supplythe contain charged material in a container presents insuers. Generallythe liquid storage and the supply 20 V perable difficulties because ifthe air be withdrawn reservoir are kept under a selected gas pressure orevacuated the gaseous contents of the product at which the material isto be supplied to the which it is desirable to retain will also bewithcontainers, but may be under a difierent gaseous drawn. pressure,either higher or lower than that at These difficulties are overcome inour present which the material is to be sealed in the con- 5 inventionwhich provides an apparatus whereby tainers. a container may be filledwith the liquid or ma- From the liquid supply tank the liquid issuptcrial Without loss of gas from the latter, and plied at intervals toa vessel and fills the latter without including air in the container orchargwith a measured quantity, thereafter interrupting the gas ormaterial with air. ing thesupply. Immediately thereafter the liq- 30Various features of the invention are illustrated uid is fed from themeasuring glass through a in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1is feeding tube to the bottom of the container to be a vertical frontview of the apparatus embodyfilled. An equalization of gas between thefilling ing a preferred form of the invention for filling chamber andthe upper part of the measuring 5 the containers with the material in anatmosglass enables the fluid to flow from the measuring 9 phere ofselected gas preparatory to sealing the glass into the container bygravity. When the containers; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic or skeletonliquid has run from the measuring glass to the View of certainmechanisms for measuring the liquid container, the measuring apparatusreproduct into the containers in a selected gas atturns to its originalposition to be again refilled 40 mosphere; Fig. 3is a section on theline 33 of with a measured quantity for a succeeding con- 40 Fig. l ofthe filling apparatus; Fig. 4 is a detail tainer, while the filledcontainers pass to a capview of an element of the filling and measuringping or sealing machine. mechanism; Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sectionalIn the modification shown in Figs. 8 to 12 inviews through the measuringand filling apparaelusive the measuring glass is dispensed with and tusin different positions of operation, and Fig. 7 the filling liquid issiphoned into containers to a 45 is a horizontal sectional view taken onthe line predetermined level directly from the supply resl-l of Fig. 5.Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a ervoir maintained at the fillinglevel. modification oi the measuring and filling appa- It will beunderstood that there is an individual ratus; Figs. 9, l0, and 11. arevertical sections and filling mechanism for each container of the group5 Fig. 12 a horizontal section of details of the filladmitted to thefilling chamber. The filling and ing apparatus. measuring mechanisms aretimed and synchro- In our present invention empty containers are nizedwith the capping machine and with the supplied in groups to an entrancechamber in apparatus for opening and closing the entrance which all ofthe air is withdrawn to a very high and filling chambers in a manner asdescribed in vacuum and which is then filled with a SQLQGEQQ @O-pendingapplication Ser. No. 740,372.. After 55 sealing, the sealed containersmay be removed from the sealing apparatus as described in saidapplication.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings (Figs. 1 to'7), a series of containers I9 is carried, preferably in single file, bya belt IE to a position in front of an inlet gate I2 of an entrancechamber I4. When the containers have been positioned in front of thegate I2 the latter is lowered to open position by means of a fluidpressure cylinder and piston I3 and the contain-- ers pushed over thethreshold into thechamber I4 by means of rocking pushers I5 operated bymeans of a fluid pressure cylinder I6 through the linkage I1 asdescribed in application Ser. No. 740,372. Thereafter the gate I2 isclosed thereby enclosing the containers in the chamber I4. Air is thenwithdrawn from the chamber I4 through the pipe I 8 creating a highvacuum in the chamber I4 and then the selected gas, such as carbondioxide, is admittedthroughthe pipe I8 until the pressure equals orapproximates the gaseous pressure in filling chamber I9; thereuponcommunication between the chambers I4 and I9 is opened by lowering acommunicating gate 20 operated by means of a fluid pressure cylinder 2I.

The containers are. pushed from the entrance chamber I4 into the fillingchamber I9 by means of a rocking pusher 22; thereupon the gate 20 islifted. closing the chamber. I9 from the chamber I4. The selected gas isthen withdrawn from the chamber I4 and replaced with air and the gate[2. lowered to open the entrance chamber I4 to receive a succeedinggroup of containers.

When a group of containers I9 have been pushed into the chamber I9: theyare received and heldin position on. a conveyor belt 23. The containersare held in stationary position on this belt until they have been filledwith the measured quantity of'material whereupon they are released andtransferred to av capping or closing machine.

The material tov be filled into the containers in the chamber I9 issupplied from a storage tank 24 through a pipe 25 to. a supply reservoir26 which is kept supplied to a level sufficient to ensure an adequatefeed of material to the measuring apparatus and; containers. From thesupply reservoir 26 a liquid or fluid flows through a manifold 2"! intoindividual branch pipes 28 leading to measuring glasses 29,.therebeingone measuring glass for each container to be filled. The branchsupply pipes 28 enter a channel or recess 30 in a valve seat 3|,illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Figs. 5 and 6 as positionedat the upper part of the measuring glass.

The channels 3Il'arev closedb-y means of a valve 32 which rests on thevalve seat. This valve is lifted at timed intervals to the positionshown in Fig. 6 whereupon the liquid supplied through the pipe 28 flowsover the valve seat 3| and downwardly through a depending pipe 33:1;0the lower or bottom part of the measuring glass 29 and thence outwardlyinto the latter through lateral openings 34. The flow of liquid into themeasuring glass 29 continues until the latter is entirely filled andthence upwardly through a gas inlet pipe 35 until it enters and fills afloat valve chamber 35 and lifts a float valve 31 to close this chamberand prevent the further inflow of liquid.

It will be understood that the volume of the measuring glass 29, thepipe 35 and chamber 36, will contain just the amount or volume of liquidrequired to fill the container to the desired fullness.

When the measuring glass has been completely filled the valve 32 isagain lowered to close against further inflow of liquid and the liquidin the measuring glass is supplied to containers I0 in the fillingchamber I9. For this purpose a stem 38 extending downwardly through themeasuring glass 29 is lowered from the position shown in Fig. 6 to thatshown in Fig. 5. The lower part of the stem 39 is hollow and is providedwith inlet openings 39 which in the lowered position of Fig. 5 are on alevel with the bottom of the measuring glass so that liquid can flowfrom the measuring .glass into the downwardly extending stem.

The lower end of they stem 38 is open and is provided with a valvechamber 49 containing a lift valve 4| that is opened when the stem 38 islowered sufficiently to cause the valve 4| to rest on the bottom of themeasuring glass. A collar or flange 42 is mounted on the stem 38immediately above the openings 39 to engage and lift the valve 32.

The stem 38 is lifted to the position shown in Fig. 6 and lowered to theposition shown in Fig. 5 at intervals in timed relation or sequence tothe opening and closing of the gates I2 and 29. and the operation of thecapping or closing machine. When it is lifted to the position shown inFig. 6 the valve 4| is closed and the valve 32' is lifted so that liquidmay flow into the measuring glass and fill the latter until the floatValve 3'! is lifted whereupon further inflow is prevented.

When the stem 38 moves downwardly the collar 42 permits the valve 32 tofall and close against the valve seat 3| thus shutting off furtherinflow through the recess 30. The seating of the valve 32 may be ensuredby a spring 43 confined between the upper end of the valve and. aninward.- ly extending flange 44 on the cap 45 of themeasuring glass. Asthe stem reaches its lowermost position, as in Fig. 5, the valve4.I-opens and the liquid flows downwardly through the hollow" stem intothe bottom of the container I 9 and rises until it fills all of thecontainer with the liquid contained in the measuring glass.

The stem 38 may rise if" necessary during the latter'part of thisfilling operation. The emptying of the gauge glass-causes gas to flowinto the valve chamber 36. and pipe 35 and this gas is again forced outwhen liquid; enters the measuring glass in the position shown in Fig. 6.

The gas supply to the pipe 35 is connected through branch pipes 46, 41and 48 to the'filling chamber I9 so that the pressures between thefilling chamber and the upper end of the measuring glass are alwaysequalized. The pipe 41 also connects with the supply reservoir 26equalizing pressure between. the latter and the measuring glasses sothatliquid will flow by gravity from the supply reservoir into the latter.Gas may be supplied to the supply reservoir and the piping connected toit from a gas supply 49 through a pipe 56 and pressure regulator 5| andenter the upper part of the supply reservoir 26 through a return. bend52. Gas is also supplied from the source 49, or any othersource,.through the pressure regulator'fi l' and a second pressureregulator 53 to the storage tank 24.

When the liquid reaches a predetermined level or height it lifts a float54 which opens a valve 55 controlling the inflow of gas to thereservoir.

The stem 38 may be lifted and lowered by any suitable mechanism in timedrelation to the operation of the capping or sealing machine and thegates I2 and 20 and the associated gasand air Withdrawing and supplyingmeans.

closing machinen This shaft rotates a rotary.

valve 51 which controls the supply of pressure fluid to theivariousoperating mechanisms of the apparatus in timed sequence. Itmay also bearrangedto supply pressure fluid alternatively to pipes 58 and-5 9 whichlead to-op'posite ends of a cylinder. 65 which drives mechanism forraising andilowering the stem 33. When pressure fluid is admittedtoopposite'ends of the'cylinder it lifts or-lowers a piston rod'fil which,as shown in Fig. 4 ."is 1conne'cted through a link 52 to an arm 53 of arocking-geari'segment 54. The segment64 in turn meshes with a verticallyreciprocating rack which carries a horizontal bar 65 extendinglengthwise above the filling chamber. The bar65 has anumber -ofrecesses, one for each stem 38 extending .upwardlyand each receiving andholding a connecting stem 65 the lower end of which has a cap 67 intowhich the upper end of its respective stem 38 is threaded.

"It will, therefore, be'understood that the stem Z t will be'reciprocated through the rack 65 by fluid supplied to the cylinder 6!!at predetermined intervals in 'the rotation of the shaft 56. Themovement of the stem 33 is guided through stuffing boxes 68 and 59 whichseal the upper and lower ends of the measuring'glass respectively.

The length. of thestem H! of the valve 4! is not sufiicient, when thelatter is closed, to reach to the surface of the conveyor 23 upon whichthe containerslil rest and,-therefore, will not open unless at'containeris in position on the conveyor. This ensures against a delivery of thefilling material whenever. for any reason, a container may not beimposition beneath its respective filling mechanism.

A predetermined pressure is ensured throughout theia'pparatusbymeans ofa pressure release valve'l-l-jFig. 1;'-:which will open upon an excessof pressurejn case pressure is being employed in theapparatusr Thepressure gauges 12, Fig. 3 andr'l3, Figs. 1" and 2, are provided toindicate the pressure Within the apparatus. A hand operated valve "54is' also provided in the feed l ne 25" anda drain cock 15in the manifold21, Fig. 2.

.A-checkvalve. liifis'also provided at the entrancetothe pipe 4-"! to"prevententrance of the filling material into. the latter in the eventof failure of any of the parts. A. gauge glass Tl indicatesthG'iIQVBIOfthE material.

The. operation 'of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming the liquidsupply tank 25 and the mea uring glass 29 and all the piping from thesetwo containers tohe empty, and the pipe 55 to be filledwith'selectedlgasfrom theliquidstorage 24. the hand control valve i4closed and the gate 253 ra sed to closedpositiom'the chamber 19 and allof chambers connected with it, the"pipes 43. 4

and 46 and the measuringglass 29and the liqu d supply tank-.26 arethensubjected toa'vacuum drawing the air out as completely as possible.

' The chamber 15, liquidsupply tank and measuring glass and theconnecting piping are then completely filled with the selectedgas to thetie that supplied to the liquid storage tank 24 and through the valve 55into the liquid supply tank forcing the liquid downwardly until thefloat 54 drops sufficiently to close the valve 55. Thereafter with eachdrop in the surface of the liquid in the supply tank 26 the pressure inthe liquid storage tank will force it upwardly until the float 54 opensthe valve 55 and counterbalances the lifting pressure on the liquid.

It will be understood that the movements of the float 54 will be verysmall and the level of the liquid will be substantially constant. Ifthrough any failure of the mechanism the liquid level should rise to theentrance of the gas pipe 4?, the float check valve 16 will close andprevent the material from overflowing through the pipes 4! and 48 intothe chamber l9.

When the apparatus is thus filled the capping orsealing machine isstarted. and rotates the shaft 56, Thereupon in succession the gate I2is lowered, the container I0 is pushed by the rocker arm pusher I 5 intothe chamber i 4, the gate 12' is raised to close the chamber M from theatmos phere, air is withdrawn from the chamber l4 through the pipe [8and replaced with selected gas until the predetermined pressure isreached sufiicient to balance the pressure within the chamber I 9.Thereupon the gate 25 is lowered and the container pushed by the rockerarm pusher 22 into the chamber I 9 and on to the conveyor belt 23.

Prior to the placing of the container H] on the conveyor 23, the stem 38will be in raised position, Fig. 6, and the valve 32 will be lifted sothat the measuring glass 29 will be completely filled, then pressurefluid is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder 60 forcing the pistonrod 6! upwardly and rotating the gear segment 64 to lower the stem 38first closing the valve 32 and then opening the valve 40 when the stemreaches. its lowermost position, and the valve stem rests upon thebottom of the container. The filling fluid then flows by gravity fromthe measuring glass 29 into the container I0, there being anequalization of gas pressure between the container and the upper part ofthe measuring glass 29 through the pipes 48, 41 and 46. Then in timedsequence pressure fluid is admitted by the rotary valve 5i through thepipe 59 to the upper part of the cylinder (ii! and exhausted from thelower part, whereupon the gear segment 54 is rotated to lift the rack 65and the stem 38 to the position shown in Fig. 6. This first causes thevalve 4| to close and then opens the valve 32 permitting fluid to flowthere through downwardly through the tube 33 and upwardly in themeasuring glass until it fills the latter and piping 35 and float valvechamber 35. The filling mechanism remains in this position. until thefilled containers have moved on and a new set of containers have takentheir place.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusivethere is no measuring glass between the liquid supply reservoir 26 andthe container ill in the room 19. Instead of a measuring glass, thereservoir 26 is so positioned that the liquid level in it is even withthe level to which the container 15 is to be filled and liquid issiphoned from the reservoir directly into the container until the levelsare equal. Thereupon the siphon is withdrawn out of the container andthe latter moves on to the sealing or closing mechanism.

The reservoir 26 is lowered to a position alongside of the chamber [9and is filled from the liquid storage tank 24 through the pipe 25 andvalve 74'; as in Fig. 3. The pipes 59' are connectedto the gas supply49, the liquid storage tank and the liquid supply reservoir 26, as inFig. 3. The gas pressure forces the liquid through the pipe 25 into thereservoir 26 until the level of. liquid raises the float 78'whichextends lengthwisewithin thereservoir 26 sufficiently to tilt the leverarm I9 and shaft 80, Fig. 10, which in turn operates a valve 8| througha crank arm 82 to admit pressure to the supply reservoir above .theliquid level until this pressure plus the head of liquid balances thepressure on the liquid storage tank. By means of the float 79 a constantlevel of liquid ismaintained in the supply reservoir 26. even with thelevel to which the containers 'Iil are to be filled in the room I9.

The liquid is siphoned at properly timed inter vals'from thecommon'supply reservoir 26 through a number of individual siphons 83 tothe indi-- vidual' containers Iii inthe filling room I9, twelve siphonsbeing shown in Fig. 10 by way of example. When an empty container I!)has been moved into position to be filled a vertically movable leg 84 ofthe siphon 83 secured to the horizontal bar 66 as in'Figs. 1 to 7 islowered by meansof-the rack 65 and segment 64and'operating mechanism, asdescribed above, until a foot valve 85, similar in construction to thevalve I9; contacts with the bottom of the container and opens it. Theliquid then. flows upwardly through a leg 86 of the siphon extendingdownwardly into the liquid in the reservoir 26, thence through aflexible connecting link 87 into the leg 84 and the container I9; therebeing no obstruction to the flow, liquid will flow through the siphonuntil the level of liquid in the container I9 rises to that in thereservoir 26.' As several containers are filled simultaneously, arelatively long time can be allowed for this filling while stillmaintaining a high rate for the individual containers. The long fillingtime and slow flow of fluid eliminate all danger of splashing andfoaming. After a properly timed interval, sufficient to permit the flowand equalization of the liquid levels, the'rack 65 and horizontal barBGare lifted thereby lifting the leg 84 to the position shown in Fig. 9.As the valve 85 is lifted from contact with the bottom of the containerI it closes and prevents further siphoning of liquid until the containerit is replacedby a succeeding container and the leg 34 again lowered. Itwill be understood that there are as many siphons as there arecontainers to be filled and that all of them are actuated inv unison bythe single horizontal lifting bar 66. It will also be understood thatthe valve 85 is so arranged that it will not open unless there is acontainer in position. The siphon remains filled with the filling fluidthroughout the operation of the apparatus but the siphon may be brokenby an inlet valve $33 when the operation of the apparatus is to bediscontinued for cleaning or emptying.

The gaseous pressure between the supply reservoir flii and the fillingroom I9 is equalized by a connecting pipe or passageway 89 whichconnects tinuously through a purifier, asdescribedl-incopendingapplication Ser; No. 740,372. An improved means is shown in Flgs..10,v1'1 and 12 for accurately controlling the leveloflli'qa -uid in thesupply reservoir 26 with great sensiativeness and accuracy. For thispurpose the valve 8I is provided with an inlet 9| for-gasiunder pressuregreater than that in the reservoir 29 and with an outlet pipe9Tleadingfrom'the' valve: chamber toa lower pressureas, for example, .toa: purifier as. described in co-pendi'ng application Ser. No. 740,372.The incomingpressurerpipe: 9I opens into a valve chamber 93 having avalve seat and opening 941 which is closed by'aball valve 95 actuated bya-spring 96'; Similarly the outlet pipe 92-communicates with avalve"chamber9-I having a valve opening 98 which-is closed'by a; ballvalve 99'actuated by, a spring; I99;- The valves 94 and 98 communicate with achamber I91 which communicates with'the reservoir 26' by: a connectingpipe I92. A rocking lever. I93 is mounted on a rockshaft I94 towhichthearm' 82 is connected so that when the float 'I8- rises the leverI03 is rocked by the arm-Blinsuch-aposi ti-on as to causea'lifting'screw I toli'ftcthe' ball valve 95 and admit compressed gastorthe' chamber Inland thence through the connecting V pipe I02 to theupper part of the reservoir". 26;" This immediatelystops the riseofthe'liquid level in'the reservoir 29; As'the :fioattIlt tends tOHdTORthe armi8'2swings'in the opposite direction permitting the ballvalve'95' to close andcthen'upon a further drop in the reservoir 26, therocking of the lever I93 causes a pin IllIi onthe opposite arm of thelever tolift the ball valve-99 and permit gas to flowoutwardly from thereservoir through the pipe I02 and chamber IIII into the outlet pipe 92.

This lowering of pressureof the liquid-in the reservoir 26 permits theliquid level in' the reser= voir to again rise to the predeterminedheight- As the flow of gas through the valves 95'and97'is' relativelyrapid, and the effective pressure ofcon trolling the flow ofliquidisinstantan'eous'; the above arrangement holds the liquid levelvariattion within very-close limits; In practice the gaseous pressurewill be held substantiallyconstant and the liquid in the reservoir willbe kept constant by the flow of liquid fromithe'storage tank 24 to keeppace with the withdrawah of liquid into the containers Ill:v Anymomentum of the flowing liquid will be promptly checkedby the gaspressure control.

While the operation of the apparatus h'asbeen described in detail withreference to the movements and filling of a single container; itwill'be' understood that a group of' containers islined in single filein properly placed position on the conveyor I I in front of the door I2and then move in a front formationsuccessively'into the chamber I4 andthence into the'chamber I9 and are filled simultaneously from themeasuring glass 29 and then conveyed'by the conveyor-'23 to the cappingmachine;

The apparatus and process have beent'de-- scribed withparticularreference to the packaging of beer under pressure withcomplete'exclu sion of air. Beer is commonly stored'in contain"- erswhich are kept filled with carbon dioxide" under pressure and is thusfree from air until the filling and sealing for packaging. The presentinvention preserves this freedom from contact withiair or oxygen andenables the beer to be sealed without loss or change in pressure andwithout contamination. It will be understood, however, that beer ismentioned merely by way of example and that other materials, such asfruit juices, and in fact any material that is suiiiciently fluid toflow may be measured and filled by our invention.

The invention has also been described with particular reference to thetype of mechanism shown in our co-pending application Ser. No. 740,372which is particularly suited for carrying on the method and embodyingthe apparatus and our invention.

.It will be understood, however, that our invention may be used withother mechanisms than that of the above application provided that thecontainer is first evacuated to withdraw'its air content, filled withthe selected gas of the desired pressure and then with the measuredquantity of the filling material while the latter is under an atmosphereof the selected gas.

. Carbon dioxide has been described merely by way of example of.aselected gas, other gases such as nitrogen may be employed.

Superatmospheric pressures have been described in connection with theselected gas, but it will be understood that the method and apparatusare also applicable to sub-atmospheric pressures.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for filling containers under a selected gas whichcomprises means for assembling a number of containers in a groupformation, means for withdrawing air from said grouped containers andreplacing said air with a selected gas, a number of measuring glasses,means for filling said measuring glasses with selected gas and fordisplacing said gas with filling material to a predetermined volume andmeans for flowing said measured quantities from said measuring glassesinto the respective containers of said group enclosed in said selectedgas.

2. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprisesmeans for assembling a number of containers into a group formation,means for withdrawing air from the containers of said group andreplacing it with selected gas, a number of measuring glasses, means forfilling said measuring glasses with selected gas, means for displacingsaid selected gas from said measuring glasses with filling material andmeans for equalizing the gas pressure on said measuring glasses andtheir respective containers to permit said filling material to flow fromsaid measuring glasses into said respective containers.

3. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprises achamber, means for introducing containers into said chamber, means forwithdrawing air from said chamber and replacing it with selected gasunder a predetermined pressure, a measuring glass, means to supply saidmeasuring glass with said selected gas, means for displacing gas fromsaid glass with filling material, and thereafter flowing said materialfrom said measuring glass into said containers in said selectedatmosphere.

4. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprises achamber, means for introducing containers into said chamber, means forwithdrawing air from said chamber and replacing it with selected gasunder a predetermined pressure, a measuring glass, means for supplyingsaid measuring glass with said selected gas, means for displacing gasfrom said glass with filling material and thereafter flowing saidmaterial from said measuring glass into said containers in said selectedatmosphere and a timing mechanism for cyclically operating saidmechanism in timed sequence.

5. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprises aliquid supply tank, a liquid storage tank, a connection for fluid fromthe lower part of said liquid storage tank to the lower part of saidliquid supply tank, means for creating a difference in pressure of saidselected gas between said liquid storage tank and said liquid supplytank to force liquid into said liquid supply tank, means controlled bythe liquid level in said liquid supply tank to interrupt said pressuredifference above a predetermined level in said liquid supply tank,measuring glasses, means for feeding liquid from said supply tank to thebottom of said measuring glass, means for replacing air with selectedgas in containers to be filled and means for flowing a measured quantityof liquid from said measuring glasses to the lower part of saidcontainers.

6. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprises aliquid supply tank, a liquid storage tank, a connection for fluid fromthe lower part of said liquid storage tank to the lower part of saidliquid supply tank, means for creating a difference in pressure of saidselected gas between said liquid storage tank and said liquid supplytank to force liquid into said liquid supply tank, means controlled bythe liquid level in said liquid supply tank to interrupt said pressuredifference above a predetermined level in said liquid supply tank, ameasuring glass, means for feeding liquid from said supply tank to thebottom of said measuring glass, means for replacing air with selectedgas in containers to be filled, means for flowing a measured quantity ofliquid from said measuring glass to the lower part of said container andmeansfor equalizing the pressure of selected gas between said container,said measuring glass and said liquid supply tank.

'7. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprisesa liquid supply tank, a liquid storage tank, a connection for fluid fromthe lower part of said liquid storage tank to the lower part of saidliquid supply tank, means for creating a difference in pressure of saidselected gas between said liquid storage tank and said liquid supplytank to force liquid into said liquid supply tank, means controlled bythe liquid level in said liquid supply tank to interrupt said pressuredifference above a predetermined level in said liquid supply tank, ameasuring glass, means for feeding liquid from said supply tank to thebottom of said measuring glass, means for replacing air with selectedgas in containers to be filled. meansfor flowing a measured quantity ofliquid from said measuring glass to the lower part of said container,means for equalizing the pressure of selected gas between saidcontainer, said measuring glass and said liquid supply tank and means toprevent flow of fluid directly from said liquid supply tank to saidcontainers.

8. Means for filling containers under selected gas which comprises aliquid supply tank, a measuring glass, means for replacing air incontainers with selected gas, a liquid conduit from said supply tank tosaid measuring glass and delivering into the lower part of the latter, avertically movable valve for closing said conduit when loweredv saidvalve having a hollow stem movable down- Wardly into said container, alift valve in the lower part of said hollowisteni opening when saidvalve touches the bottom of the container,

Q. Means for filling containers under selected gas which comprises aliquid supply tank, a measuring glass, means for replacing .air incontainers with selected gas, a .liquid conduitfrom said supply tank .tosaid measuring glass and delivering into the lower :part of the latter,a vertically movable valve for closing said conduit when lower-ed, saidvalve having a hollow stem movable downwardly into said container, alift valve in the lowerpart of said hollow stem opening when said valve:touches the bottom .of :the container, a rack and segment for liftingand lowering said valve and stem. 1

:10. Apparatus for filling containers under a selected gas atmospherewhich comprises a measuring glassgmeans for positioning a containerbelow said measuring glass :and replacing air in said 'container'withsaidselected gas, a liquid supply tank, .a liquid conduit from saidsupply tank delivering into the lower part of said measuring glass,:meansto stop flow of liquid into said measuring glass at apredetermined level, a valve controlling the flow of liquid from saidliquid supply tank through said conduit into said measuring glass, .astem depending from said Valve, a lift valve in the lower part of saidstem, said stem having .an opening communicating 'with said measuringglass, means to lift and lower said valve and stem to close said valvein said. conduit and to open said valve in said stem upon reaching thebottom of said container and reversely to close said valve in said stemand open the valve in said conduit upon being lifted to a predeterminedheight and means timed cyclically with the placing of said container tooperate said valve and said-stem-lifting means.

11. Apparatus for filling containers under a selected gas atmospherewhich comprises a measuring glass, means for positioning a containerbelow said measuring glass and replacing air in said container with saidselected gas, a liquid sup ply tank, a liquid conduit from said supplytank delivering into the lower part of said measuring glass, means tostop flow of liquid into said measuring glass ata predetermined level, avalve controlling the fiowof liquid from said liquid supply tank throughsaid conduit'into said measuring glass, a stem depending from saidvalve, a lift valve in the lower part of said stem, said stem having .anopening communicating with said measuring glass, means to lift and lowersaid valve and stem to close said valve in said conduit and to open saidvalve and said stem upon reaching the bottom of said container andreversely to close said valve and said stem and open the valve in saidconduit upon being lifted to a predetermined height and means timedcyclically with the placing of said container tooperate said valve andsaid stem-lifting means, said container positioning means being at asufficiently low level to prevent opening of said lifting valve bycontact therewith.

12. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprisesa filling chamber, a transfer chamber having closeable communicationwith said filling chamber and with the atmosphere, means for aligning agroup of containers in position to enter said transfer chamber from theatmosphere, means to open said transfer chamber to the atmosphere tomove said containers transversely to their alignment into said transferchamber and to close the latter, means to withdraw air from saidtransfer chamber and replace it with a selected gas at the same pressureas in said filling :chamber, means :for opening communication betweensaid transfer chamber and said filling chamber to move said containerssidewise of their alignment into said filling chamber and toclose-communication between said transfer chamber and said fillingchamber, a number of measuring glasses one for each of said containerspositioned above said filling chamber, means for supplying fillingmaterial to the lower part of said measuring glasses, means for limitingthe level of liquid in said measuring glasses to a predetermined height,a liquid supply having conduits delivering to the lower part of saidmeasuring glasses, vertically movable valve means alternately to opencommunication from said liquid supply to said measuring glasses and toclose said communication and deliver material from said measuringglasses to the lower part of said containers in said filling chamber andmeans timed cyclically with the movements of said containers to raiseand lower said valve means.

13.. Apparatus for filling containers under selected gas which comprisesa filling chamber, a transfer chamber having closeable communicationwith said filling chamber and with the atmosphere, means for aligning agroup of containers in position to enter said transfer chamber from "theatmosphere, means to open said transfer chamber to the atmosphere tomove said containers transversely to their alignment into said transferchamber and to close the latter, means to withdraw air from saidtransfer chamber and replace it with a selected gas at the same pressureas in said filling chamber, means for opening communication between saidtransfer chamber and said .filling chamber to move said containers.sidewise of their alignment into said filling chamber and :to closecommunication between said transfer chamber and said filling chamber, anumber of measuring glasses, one for each of said containers, positionedabove said filling chamber, means for supplying filling material to thelower part of said measuring glasses, means for limiting the level ofliquid in said measuring glasses to a predetermined height, a liquidsupply having conduits delivering to the lower part of said measuringglasses, vertically movable valve means alternately to opencommunication from said liquid supply to said measuring glasses and toclose said communication and deliver material :from said measuringglasses to the lower :part of said containers in said filling chamberand means -timed cyclically with the movements of said containers toraise and lower said valve means, said valve means being inoperati-ve todeliver liquid from each particular measuring glass unless a containeris in position therebeneath, :and means to prevent flow of fiuiddirectly from said liquid supply to said filling chamber.

14. Apparatus for filling containers under selected .gas which comprisesa filling chamber, a transfer chamber having closeable communicationwith said filling chamber and with the atmosphere, means for aligning agroup of containers in position to enter said transfer chamber from theatmosphere, means to open said transfer chamber to the atmosphere tomove said containers transversely to their alignment into said transferchamber and to close the latter, means to withdraw air from saidtransfer chamber and replace it with a selected gas at the same pressure"as in said filling chamber, means for opening communication betweensaid transfer chamber and said filling chamber to move said containerssidewise of their alignment into said filling chamber and to closecommunication between said transfer chamber and said filling chamber, anumber of measuring glasses, one for each of said containers, positionedabove said filling chamber, means for supplying filling material to thelower part of said measuring glasses, means for limiting the level ofliquid in said measuringglasses to a predetermined height, a liquidsupply having conduits delivering to the lower part of said measuringglasses, vertically movable valve means alternately toopen communicationfrom said liquid supply to said measuring glasses and to close saidcommunication and deliver material from said measuring glasses to thelower part of said containers in said filling chamber and means timedcyclically with the movements of said containers to raise and lower saidvalve means, means to equalize gaseous pressures between said fillingchamber, said measuring glasses and said liquid supply tank.

15. Apparatus for filling a container with a charged liquid underair-free conditions which comprises a filling room, a vacuumizing andgassing chamber opened alternately to atmosphere and said chamber, meansfor alternately evacuating said room and admitting selected gas and airthereto, means outside of said room for measuring a quantity of liquidout of contact with the atmosphere and means for delivering saidmeasured liquid to'the lower part of said container in said room.

WILLIAM MILES RYAN. JOHN W. BOLD.

